Memnison Journal

If I’ve been quiet again, it’s because my main PC in my office downstairs (where I’m exiled to pending the doc saying I can go up and down stairs again) has been zapped by a nasty virus. It got past my Trend Micro antivirus, and started disconnecting various things on my PC (including the virus [...]

China Daily is reporting that the Chinese police are starting to put together a national DNA database to help combat child trafficking and help lost children; 107,000 kids and 35,000 from anxious parents. The database is composed of blood samples taken by the police from missing children’s parents, children suspected of having been abducted or [...]

Woman in Louisiana serves boyfriend with a side of boiling grits; parboiled. The man told sheriff’s deputies that he came home from work on Nov. 7, got into an argument with Brown, told her that he was breaking up with her, then went to bed.

Child stealing and smuggling rings in China, including a bust in the twins’ home town. Shanghai Daily _ 上海日报 — En.. (PDF. 28 k – pdf’d version of story)

Weird – the guy who transported me up to my room from the ER last night was going on at length about the horrible injustices done to former Congress critter James Trafficant; I hadn’t heard that name for a while.  Most of the rest of his blurb was a odd and incoherent rant about the [...]

Roman Polanski was arrested in Switzerland on his old 31-year old criminal warrant from America.  I didn’t think they’d ever manage that one.

It’s early evening on Friday, and I’m slogging tthrough a ton of paperwork that’s built up; the washer is re-doing the blankets for our bed, and I’m getting tired – today was my first day back at work, and the last couple before that were ‘hi, I’m groggy!’ “Hi, Groggy!” Today, Susan and Meredith (Susan [...]

Interesting article on how India’s endemic corruption problems are holding the country back, with this comment from the Prime Minister: “The pervasive corruption in our country tarnishes our image [and it] discourages investors who expect fair treatment and transparent dealings with public authorities.” Read it all.

There are now more contractors in Afghanistan than soldiers; just another part of the dumb practices that I’ve seen over and over again in the US government – all the way back to my mom’s job with the feds in meat and poultry procession oversight. When in doubt, contract it out, and claim that that’s [...]

The inspector general of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) reports that five SEC exams and investigations of Bernie Madoff were incompetently done.   I can believe one screwup happened, but five?  Five is agency policy to not look too hard. Both Markopolos and an SEC staff accountant testified that it was clear the Boston office’s [...]

Stupid thief of the day: Dayton, Ohio cops catch man outside barbeque joint, reeking of grease while the burglar alarm was going off (yes, I know the newspaper’s writers say wreaking; I can’t help the fall of journalistic standards) – he claimed he was dumpster diving for leftovers, but the cops found that he’d broken [...]

…which was my minor in college.  It allows situations where you can write headlines like this: Chihuahua With Earrings Stolen At Gay Bar Police Seek Man With Britney Spears Tattoo Heck, just go to Google News and google up “Chihuahua” news articles and see what you get…

I had to look up the meaning of hoon for this one (wild, stupid and reckless driver in a criminal sense) – 79 year old man doing 160 k in a 100k zone Best man claims he was raped by a stripper as part of the show at the bachelor party.

New blasphemy criminalization law passed by the Irish Parliament. “Under the changes, the maximum fine for blasphemy will be cut from €100,000 to €25,000.” Gee, thanks.

Betting ring on an Australian Navy ship alleged where one could win points/money on having sex with female sailors, with bonuses for daring locations and less attainable women (including gay women). Some people do not learn.   Disgusting.